Can you think of any commodity on which the price ceiling is imposed in India? What may be the consequence of price-ceiling?
In India, there are many goods on which government has imposed price ceiling, in order to keep them available within the reach of the BPL (below poverty lime) people. These goods are kerosene, sugar, wheat, rice, etc. The following are the consequences of price ceiling:
1) Excess demand - Due to artificially imposed price, cutting lower than the equilibrium price leads to the emergence of the problem of excess demand.
2) Fixed Quota - Each consumer gets a fixed quantity of good (as per the quota). The quantity often falls short of meeting the individuals requirements. This further leads to the problem of shortage and the consumer remains unsatisfied.
3) Inferior goods - Often it has been found that the goods that are rationed are usually inferior goods and are adulterated.
4) Black marketing - The needs of a consumer remain unfulfilled as per the quota laid by the government. Consequently, some of the unsatisfied consumers get ready to pay higher price for the additional quantity. This leads to black-marketing and artificial shortage in the market.
How will a change in the price of coffee affect the equilibrium price of tea? Explain the effect on equilibrium quantity also through a diagram.
Suppose the price at which the equilibrium is attained in exercise 5 is above the minimum average cost of the firms constituting the market. Now if we allow for free entry and exit of firms, how will the market price adjust to it?
When do we say that there is an excess demand for a commodity in the market?
When do we say that there is an excess supply for a commodity in the market?
Explain through a diagram the effect of a rightward shift of both the demand and supply curves on equilibrium price and quantity.
Suppose the market determined rent for apartments is too high for common people to afford. If the government comes forward to help those seeking apartments on rent by imposing control on rent, what impact will it have on the market for apartments?
In what respect do the supply and demand curves in the labor market differ from those in the goods market?
Explain how price is determined in a perfectly competitive market with a fixed number of firms.
Explain market equilibrium.
Suppose the demand and supply curves of salt are given by:
(a) Find the equilibrium price and quantity.
(b) Now, suppose that the price of an input that used to produce salt has increased so, that the new supply curve is qs = 400 + 3p
How does the equilibrium price and quantity change? Does the change conform to your expectation?
(a) Suppose the government has imposed at ax of Rs 3 per unit of sale on salt. How does it affect the equilibrium rice quantity?
Explain the concept of a production function
What would be the shape of the demand curve so that the total revenue curve is?
(a) A positively sloped straight line passing through the origin?
(b) A horizontal line?
Discuss the central problems of an economy.
What are the characteristics of a perfectly competitive market?
What do you mean by the budget set of a consumer?
What is the total product of input?
From the schedule provided below calculate the total revenue, demand curve and the price elasticity of demand:
Quantity |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
Marginal Revenue |
10 |
6 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
- |
What do you mean by the production possibilities of an economy?
How are the total revenue of a firm, market price, and the quantity sold by the firm related to each other?
What is budget line?
What is budget line?
Explain price elasticity of demand.
List the three different ways in which oligopoly firms may have.
How does the imposition of a unit tax affect the supply curve of a firm?
If a consumer has monotonic preferences, can she be indifferent between the
bundles (10, 8) and (8, 6)?
Suppose a consumer can afford to buy 6 units of good 1 and 8 units of good 2
if she spends her entire income. The prices of the two goods are Rs 6 and Rs 8
respectively. How much is the consumer’s income?
Suppose the price elasticity of demand for a good is – 0.2. If there is a 5 % increase in the price of the good, by what percentage will the demand for the good go down?
Distinguish between a centrally planned economy and a market economy.
Consider a market where there are just two consumers and suppose their demands for the good are given as follows:
Calculate the market demand for the good.
p |
d1 |
d2 |
1 |
9 |
24 |
2 |
8 |
20 |
3 |
7 |
18 |
4 |
6 |
16 |
5 |
5 |
14 |
6 |
4 |
12 |
What conditions must hold if a profit-maximising firm produces positive output in a competitive market?